USPS: Mail ballots today

MEDINA â€” The U.S. Postal Service is encouraging those who are voting absentee to mail in their ballots as soon as possible to ensure they will get to the Medina County Board of Elections by election day on Tuesday.

It is recommended voters mail their ballots by today, a statement said, because a record number of ballots are expected to be cast by mail.

Ballots, whether mailed or hand-delivered, must be at the board of elections, 4210 N. Jefferson St., Medina Township, by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, or they will not be counted.

The new state law allowing anyone to vote absentee has increased the number of ballots going through the mail, regional Postal Service spokesman David Van Allen said.

In Medina County, voters must pay 97 cents or use three stamps to mail an absentee ballot, said Janet Pilat, deputy director of the board of elections.

On Tuesday, board of elections employees will go to the Medina post office several times to pick up ballots, she said.

Those who are mailing ballots to Medina County from outside the region may wish send them via priority mail or express mail, Van Allen said.

A letter mailed using priority mail takes two to three days for delivery and express mail usually can be delivered the next day, the postal serviceâ€™s Web site says.

Along with voting absentee, county residents also can vote at the board of elections between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the week. Voting also is possible from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Last week, board of elections Director Sue Strasser said more than 50 percent of the countyâ€™s registered voters are expected to cast a ballot in Tuesdayâ€™s primary election.